To Be Human
by Browniesarethebest
Summary: Jack Frost has been missing for months. The Guardians have been searching and searching with nothing to show for it. The Guardians think that they may never find him, but Jack may be closer to them than he appears to be. Rated T for because I'm paranoid.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is my first Rise of the Guardians story. Please be kind. I've been thinking about this idea for a while though and I really wanted to try it out. I think that it's going to be really cool and I hope that you guys think so too. No flames by the way. If you guys don't like the story, then why bother read it and give a mean review?**

He gasped and sat up quickly. He regretted it though when the world swayed and threatened to knock him back down. He sat still, waiting for the nausea to go away before slowly standing up.

He shivered, which confused him until he realized that it was snowing…heavily. He shivered again, this time more violently, and took a step forward. He gasped and looked down.

"Why am I barefoot?" Curious, he glanced himself over.

He was wearing a blue hoodie and tan pants. He had no shoes, not even socks. When he looked up, he noticed tufts of chocolate hair that flopped onto his forehead.

He shivered again, "I have to get out of here."

He started running- it was too cold to just walk in his bare feet- when he tripped over something. He glanced back and noticed a funny-looking stick on the ground. On instinct, he took the stick with him and started running again. Soon, he came upon a small neighborhood. He walked up to the first house and knocked.

_Five minutes earlier:_

George and Samantha Prince sat on their couch, staring dejectedly at the ground. Samantha had tears streaming down her face as she clutched her husband's arm.

"Why, George? Why does the world have to be so unfair?"

George sighed and patted his wife's hand, "I don't know, honey. Maybe…maybe it just wasn't meant to be."

Samantha glared at her husband, "George! How could you say that? We waited nine months, George! We had been dreaming of raising children for a long time! And what do we get for our patience and hard work? A stillborn! This is the most heartbreaking moment I have ever been through! How could you say something like that?"

George sighed again, "I know, Samantha. I'm sorry. Maybe-"

He was interrupted by a knock at the door. The couple looked up in surprise.

"Now who on Earth would be up at this time of night?" Samantha walked over to the door, her husband following her, and opened it. She gasped.

"I-I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am, but I don't really know where I am. It's very cold out. M-May I come in?" A boy, maybe sixteen or seventeen, stood in front of her door, covered in snow and shivering.

The woman quickly got over her shock and ushered the boy inside, "Of course! Of course!" She led him over to the couch and quickly got him a blanket.

"What were you doing outside, young man?" She gasped again, "And barefoot at that! You could have frozen to death!"

The boy shook and shrugged, "I-I don't really know. I just woke up out there."

George walked over to the boy, "Can you tell us your name, son?"

The boy nodded, "Of course. I'm-" The boy stopped, "I'm…I don't know. I don't remember a thing."

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" George asked. The boy shook his head.

"Oh, wait! I remember something! My name is Jack."

"Do you remember your last name?" Samantha asked. Jack shook his head.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Jack shook his head again.

"I don't remember anything besides my name." Samantha gasped and turned towards her husband.

"Oh, George! This is what we wanted! Maybe it was a sign after all!" She turned to Jack, "You can stay with us as long as you like."

Jack looked surprised, "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to be a burden."

Samantha ushered him off the couch, "On no, sweetie. It's perfectly fine! There's a bed in the guest room with nice, thick blankets. You just go in there and rest for as long as you like."

"Thank you so much…"

"Samantha."

Jack smiled, "Thank you, Samantha."

Jack went inside the room and cuddled under the covers, falling asleep immediately.

Outside of the room, Samantha was smiling with tears in her eyes. George walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, George! He's perfect!" she whispered.

"I know, but remember. He does have a real family out there somewhere."

"There is a chance that he doesn't."

"You may be right, but to keep our hearts from breaking again, we need to think that he does have a family."

Samantha nodded, "I know, George, but I am so excited!"

George smiled, "I am to, honey. I am too."

**A/N: So that was the first chapter. I'm sorry that it's a bit short. My first chapters always tend to be a bit short. I really wanted to end it there though. It's going to get a lot better I promise. And don't worry, the other Guardians and Jamie and Sophie and all the other kids will eventually show up, much sooner than you think actually. So uh… Review!**

**Love,**

**Browniesarethebest**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow! I got a lot of positive reviews for my first Rise of the Guardians story! Thanks! I actually got a few about Samantha and George that really made me feel proud. Now I will say that this story will be really sad at some points, just saying. It will have a happy ending though.**

Jack woke up to the smell of something wonderful. Curious, he crawled out of bed and cracked his door open. He saw no one out there and opened the door wider, slipping out and shutting it quietly behind him. He glided down the hallway until he came into a small kitchen.

Samantha was standing at the stove, handling a pan of eggs at the same time as a pan of bacon. The steam from the food had her hair sticking out of her messy bun and plastered to forehead. She wore an apron and a dress that made her look like a busy mother. A flash of a woman with features similar to him and clothes similar to Samantha as well as a feathery…fairy-type thing passed through his head. He shook his head.

Samantha looked up and smiled, "Jack! Did you sleep well? I hope you are hungry because I made a big breakfast." Samantha carried the food over to the table, where a stack of pancakes and toast and a pitcher of orange juice were waiting.

His eyes widened in surprise, "Oh, wow. Thank you, Samantha." He sat down and began to eat. Saying he ate a lot was an understatement. It felt like he hadn't eaten in years!

Samantha smiled at the boy and began cleaning around the kitchen, "Eat as much as you like, Jack. We have a big day today and a lot to do. We need to get you clothes and especially shoes! I'll also need to get more groceries now that there is a teenager in the house. I'm counting on you to help me out today too." Samantha gave him a stern look, but her eyes twinkled with amusement. Jack looked up with his mouth full of food and saluted. Samantha smiled.

"Good. Now smooth out your clothes. We can't have you going out looking like a homeless man! You'll be borrowing a pair of George's shoes and a jacket. They'll both be a bit big, but you're a tall boy. And eat more, sweetie! You're as thin as a twig! Goodness, what have you been eating? Leaves?"

Jack laughed, "I don't know. I don't remember. Remember?"

Samantha patted his shoulder as she cleared some of the empty plates, "Of course, dear. I know. Now finish up. We will be leaving soon. I'll go bring some things to your room so you can get ready."

Jack smiled again, this time with more sincerity than amusement, "Thank you again, Samantha. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Samantha smiled and patted his head, "Your welcome, dear. I take pleasure in taking care of you. It warms my heart to see you happy." She walked out of the kitchen to put clothes and other things in his room.

Jack sat for a little longer, slowing his chewing as he thought. There was a little feeling nagging at him from the back of his head. Samantha reminded him of someone a lot, but the more he thought about it, the more his head hurt and the more that image of said someone slid away in his head.

He sighed and set his fork down, standing up slowly and waltzing towards his room. He was thankful for Samantha and George. He would have died in the cold if it weren't for them. He knew he couldn't stay with them forever though. He had a family to get back to, or so he thought. That thought made him sad.

He walked into his room and frowned in disgust at the shoes that were on his bed. He didn't know why, but the thought of putting shoes on seemed unpleasant and alien to him. He sighed. He had no choice in the matter. He didn't want to lose his feet to the cold after all.

He looked over the rest of the stuff on his bed. There was a jacket, a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, shampoo, soap…all the things he would need if he stayed for a while. He smiled to himself. He wouldn't mind staying here. It was nice. It felt like a home.

And, for some reason, that feeling felt very alien too, much to his displeasure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(BREAK LINE!)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thank you again for letting me pick out whatever I wanted, Samantha." Jack said as he helped load groceries into the car. Samantha waved a hand.

"It was nothing, Jack. You are an independent, growing boy. You need to have your own style as well as all the food you need. I should be thanking you for picking out presentable clothes and nutritious food instead of anything worrying-looking and sugar."

"Well, I did pick out cookies, remember?" Jack laughed.

Samantha rolled her eyes, "You picked plenty of healthy food. The least I could do is let you have one unhealthy thing. Oh! That reminds me! I forgot the chicken! I was going to make a special dinner tonight! Stay here while I run back in and get it." Samantha ran back inside while Jack chuckled and shook his head.

Suddenly, he heard a laugh and turned, spotting two kids walking along the street. One was a little blonde girl, skipping along as she held the hand of who Jack presumed to be her older brother. He had similar features to Jack, having brown hair and eyes too.

And there was that nagging feeling again. Somehow, they seemed really familiar. Jack squinted at them, trying to decipher who exactly they were, when the boy glanced up at him. Their eyes locked for a moment, and both tilted their heads. The young boy was about to call out something when Samantha suddenly came back.

"I got it, Jack. Now let's go and see how your new clothes look on you, dear! Oh! I'm so excited!" Jack turned away from the boy and climbed into the car. As the car started pulling away, Jack couldn't help but glance back and notice the boy's wide eyes and open jaw.

A flash of pain went through his head as he saw that same exact face in a dark room in his mind. Jack rubbed at his head, the image disappearing as quickly as it came. He glanced back, but he could no longer see the boy. Jack looked forward again, staring at the open road in confusion.

He knew that boy. He didn't know how or why, but he was determined to find out-

Jack suddenly yawned and leaned back in his seat. He suddenly felt very tired and found his eyes closing. He fought to keep them open but as soon as they closed and opened again, the fatigue was gone. Jack stared at the road, confused again.

"Jack?" Samantha suddenly asked, "What were you looking at earlier? It seemed important."

Jack turned to her, confused and a little dazed, and blinked. He thought for a moment, "Huh. I don't remember. It must not have been that important."

"Alright. Well, help me bring the groceries in, dear. I need to start dinner soon."

Jack smiled obliviously and nodded as the annoying, nagging feeling finally went away.

**A/N: I am so sorry that this is late. I was busy working on The Big Four, and I have been on vacation. I did not have Internet for the second half of my vacation, but I do now. Anyways, I really hope you like this chapter and I'm really excited for this story! Review!**

**Love,**

**Browniesarethebest**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow! I love the positive feedback from your reviews so much and I'm really proud that you all love Samantha! I completely made her up and I'm glad that she's such a big hit! So on that note, let's get this chapter started!**

_One Week Later:_

"Jack! Could you come in here please?" Jack walked into the living room, looking curious.

"Yeah, Samantha?" Jack sat down beside her and George. His eyebrows crinkled in confusion as he got a look at their faces.

"Sweetie, it's been a week now, and you still haven't gotten your memories back…"

Jack paled as he looked between the two of them, "You're-You're kicking me out." He didn't say it as a question. He knew they'd get sick of him eventually.

"What! No! Sweetie, we would never do that!" Jack sighed in relief.

"We were thinking of enrolling you in school." George said, "You may have amnesia, but you still need to learn."

"School? But I'm fine."

Samantha shook her head and smiled, "Jack…"

Jack stared at them, thinking deeply. While he didn't want to go to school, he didn't want to upset them in any way. He was still slightly afraid that they would throw him out if he did anything bad. He bowed his head and sighed.

"Alright. I'll go." Samantha squealed and grabbed one of George's hands and one of Jack's.

"Oh! This is going to be wonderful!" She tugged the two to their feet, "We'll have to get you supplies! George! Go to the school and sign him up immediately!" George and Jack glanced at each other as Samantha bustled off into the other room, talking a mile a minute. They just smiled at each other exasperatedly and followed her.

George ruffled Jack's hair, "You're going to love school, son." He leaned down and whispered into Jack's ear, "And thank you for saying yes. You have no idea how long she's been ranting about this."

Jack cracked a smile, though inside he was beaming at the word 'son', "No problem, George. I'm happy to oblige."

George straightened and clapped a hand on Jack's back, "Good! I've gotta go and sign you up now, but when I get back, we'll go out and celebrate."

Jack's smile grew, "Really? Sounds great!"

Samantha suddenly flew into the room and grabbed Jack's hand, dragging him out of the front door as George followed.

"Come, Jack! We have to go out and buy you your supplies! I know that the semester is about to end, but I want to sign you up anyways. Who knows? Maybe you'll make friends before school ends, and you can spend time with them over break!"

Jack let himself be dragged while George just laughed.

"George, I'll drop you off at the school. After that, meet us at the store, all right? Then we can go out and have a nice dinner!" Samantha was about to get in the car when she suddenly gasped, "I almost forgot my purse! You two stay here while I go in and get it!" She ran back inside.

Jack watched George as he smiled fondly after her. He tilted his head curiously, "Hey, George? How do you keep up with her?"

George turned and smiled at Jack, "Like I always do, Jack. I just go along for the ride. It's what made me fall in love with her in the first place. She was always out and about. She never tired out, despite her smaller size."

Jack looked back at the door, a ghost of a smile on his lips, "Yeah, I see what you mean." He suddenly frowned, "She reminds me of someone, but every time I try to think who, it always slips away."

"Don't worry, Jack. I'm sure it'll come eventually." Samantha hurried back out of the house and climbed into the car.

"Let's go, boys! We have a lot to do today!" Grinning, the man and boy got into the car and took off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(BREAK LINE!)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Get lots of rest tonight, sweetie. Tomorrow is your first day of school, and I want you to give a good impression." Samantha smiled down at Jack, who was currently lying in bed. Jack smiled up at her.

"I will." Samantha leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.

"I love you, Jack."

"I love you too." Samantha stood up and was about to leave when Jack grabbed her wrist. Samantha turned back, confused.

"What is it, Jack?" Jack averted his eyes, blushing lightly. He was embarrassed by what he was about to ask, but he was going to ask it anyway.

"Um, Samantha? I know that it's only been a week, but honestly? You and George are the only people I know. So I was wondering…" He looked up at her, hope shining brightly in his eyes, "Can I-Can I call you Mom?"

Samantha gasped, tears starting to form in her eyes as her quivering lips turned up in a smile. She whispered, bending down and running a gentle hand through his hair, "Of course, sweetie. I'd be honored to be your mother."

Jack smiled. A foreign feeling pulled at his heart, a feeling of…love. For some reason, he felt like he had been alone for a very long time, and while this feeling did not feel new, it felt rare. He couldn't help himself as his arms shot up and wrapped Samantha into a hug, which she gladly returned.

"Thank you…Mom. I don't know why, but I've felt so alone and now…" Samantha rubbed his back as she laid him back down gently.

"I should be the one thank you, dear. I had just lost my baby when you showed up at my door, a miracle in the purest form." She smiled again, keeping her hand in his hair, "You have brought so much to this house, Jack." She stood up, "And now you'll be bringing it to your school. Good night, Jack."

"Good night, Mom." Samantha's smile grew as she slowly closed the door behind her.

Jack lay back in his bed, folding his hands across his chest. He felt better now that he had gotten that out. He wanted to smile-which he did- but it wasn't as real as it could have been. He was happy to be here, but there was a bad feeling pulling at his heart now. He saw how much he meant to Samantha and George, which made him feel great, but it made him sad at the same time.

If he got his memories back, what would happen? Did he have a loving family waiting for him somewhere? Were they crying over him? Or did he not have a family at all? When he got his memories back, would he have to leave Samantha and George?

Jack turned over, closing his eyes. Samantha always looked so happy and lively. If he had a loving family, he would have to leave Samantha and George.

And he knew that it would break his heart just as much as it would break Samantha's.

**A/N: I know I'm super late with this. I have literally been loaded with so much stuff this summer. I feel like I haven't even left school. That's how much work I have to do. I'm almost done with my online class though so hopefully I'll be able to update faster after that. I just want to thank everybody who is waiting patiently and you shall be awarded hopefully with a faster update next time. Review!**

**Love,**

**Browniesarethebest**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Jack's first day of school! Will it go well? Will it all end in some terrible disaster? You'll just have to find out!**

**P.S. I am SO sorry for the really late update. I'm trying to get my schoolwork done before school starts. I don't have a lot of time, but I do have a lot of work.**

The time between waking up and arriving at school flew by in a blur. Jack vaguely remembered Sa- his _mom _(he smiled at the thought) stuffing food into his mouth and shoving him out the door. She drove him to school and waved at him, gushing positive thoughts at him as she drove off. Jack watched the retreating car until he couldn't see it anymore. Then, he turned around and walked into the school, bracing himself for what was to come.

It was a small school with a population of only a few hundred high school students. The office was sitting right at the entrance to the school, making Jack almost sigh with relief. He needed to get his schedule and he didn't exactly want to talk to any of the students yet to get directions.

Jack made his way to the front desk. An older woman, probably around 50 years old, sat behind the desk. She looked up and smiled.

"You must be the new boy. You are Jack Prince, right?" Jack nodded. The woman continued to smile as she handed Jack some papers, "Good. Here's your schedule and a map of the school. If you need any help just ask any of the teachers or come back here. Have a great first day!"

Jack left the office, staring down intently at the map. He wanted to memorize the layout of the school. He didn't want to look like some idiot, staring down at a map all day. He heard the first bell ring and looked up in surprise. He quickly ran to his first class, not wanting to be late on his first day.

He stopped in front of the classroom, glancing in nervously. That alien feeling had returned, making Jack break out into a slightly nervous sweat. He shook his head.

_It's going to be fine._

Jack took a deep breath and walked into the classroom. Hopefully today would go well.

* * *

"Oh, Jack. What happened?" Samantha watched jack worriedly as he stared at the ground. Jack had gotten home and throughout the entire evening, he wouldn't make eye contact with her. She had finally cornered him in his room and made him tell her what was wrong.

"Today went horribly." Jack murmured, "I didn't make any friends, and I was made fun of."

"How?" Samantha asked, her brow furrowing.

Jack shifted uncomfortably, licking his lips as his eyes darted around the room. He didn't want to look Samantha in the eye, "Well…I don't know why, but I have this thing with shoes…I don't like them."

"What do you mean?" Samantha asked.

"I just…don't like them. Wearing shoes, and even socks, feels unfamiliar. During my first class, I couldn't take it anymore and I took them off. I walked around the rest of the day without them." He shifted again, "I, uh, also feel uncomfortable without my staff." He nodded towards the shepherd's crook in the corner, "When you dropped me off, I noticed a stick and took it with me."

"Oh, honey…" Samantha leaned in and hugged him, "It's all right, dear. Everyone has their oddities about themselves." She leaned back and grasped his shoulders, "You don't have to be embarrassed by it, though I would suggest that you wear shoes at school. I know you don't like them, honey, but it's a rule. "

Jack nodded, still not meeting her eyes. Samantha tilted his chin up, forcing him to look at her, "At home though, you can be barefoot if you want. I don't mind as long as you don't track dirt into the house." Jack's eyes widened as Samantha continued, "Now, you've had a long day. How about I make you something special, hm?"

The corner of Jack's mouth quirked, and he nodded, "Yeah, that sounds great, Mom."

Samantha smiled and pulled him to his feet, "Alright, dear. Grab your bag and bring it to the kitchen. I want to see you doing your homework, or there will be no dessert!"

Jack's eyes widened comically and he ran off. Samantha's smile grew as she watched his retreating figure. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see George.

"You really are a great mother." George grinned. Samantha's eyes sparkled as her lip quivered.

"You really think so?" she whispered. George nodded.

"Of course. Look how happy Jack is. Just a minute ago, he was sitting on that couch, moping like the world had ended. But you sat yourself in front of him and made the boy know that you were there for him no matter what. I think that makes you a wonderful mother."

"Oh, George. You don't know how happy that makes me." Samantha hugged her husbandly tightly, letting all of her feelings pour into that one hug.

Jack's head suddenly poked out from the kitchen, "Hey! I'm doing my homework here! Can I have food now?"

Samantha and George chuckled as they headed into the kitchen. Maybe they weren't the perfect parents.

But then again, who is?

**A/N: So school starts in less than a week. Bleh. I also haven't even come close to finishing my summer work. Even more bleh. I really am sorry for the long wait for this story. I haven't fully planned this part out. It's more in the future that I really have set. I'm just going with the flow until I get there so I tend to get writer's block (I also still have a ton of summer work to do too). Another thing that is keeping me busy is I am in the process of writing a book. I'm only about 5 chapters in, but I am really excited for it! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Review!**

**Love,**

**Browniesarethebest**


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